Switched Back
by Kumi-kun
Summary: Bay and Daphne were switched at birth. At three years old, Regina and Angelo discovered that Daphne wasn't theirs. What if they notified somebody and tried to get their daughter back? A/U
1. Switched?

_A/N: Hey there, Miskumi here. Haven't uploaded in a while, but I have found a new passion! Switched At Birth on ABC Family. I love the story and thought I would do up my own little ficcy here. This is just the first chunk, I have a TON more written, so if this gets a decent response, then I will update it from time to time._

_Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN SWITCHED AT BIRTH, ABC FAMILY, OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS HEREIN._

_Anyway, enjoy! ^.^_

For a moment it felt like her heart stopped. How could this be? Weren't there precautions against this kind of thing? What was she going to do now? What could she do? There was only one option that she could see, but that didn't mean that her partner wouldn't see another option. She would talk to him. He would clear it all up in a heartbeat, and everything would be alright. She was sure of it. He could make everything better.

She swept her raven hair back over her shoulder, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. Her hand was trembling as she raised it to knock on the door. She was almost afraid her rapping was too light, almost reached out to repeat the gesture. Then she heard the lock released and saw the knob turn.

"Regina, what are you doing here?" The sultry Italian accent that she had fallen in love with spoke to her, raising her eyes. "Shouldn't you be at the hospital with Daphne?" She shook her head slowly.

"She's sleeping. I need to talk to you." Her voice was barely there, and trembled.

"Come to tell me the truth? Decide I needed to know?" He spat.

"Something like that. Can I come in, Angelo?" Her voice was growing stronger with each word.

"Yes, yes. Come in I guess." He stepped aside and Regina followed, stepping gingerly into a dank hotel room. "What do you want, Gina?"

"I-, I have something that I need to tell you," She spoke, setting in a well worn chair. Angelo to a spot on the bed, folding his hands and placing them between his knees. "It's about Daphne." He looked up at her quickly.

"So you have come to tell me the truth. You did cheat on me, didn't you? I already know she isn't mine." Regina could already hear that he was getting angry, and that wasn't what she needed. She was hurting enough already, and really needed Angelo's support.

"Yes, I have come to tell you the truth about Daphne, and no, for the hundredth time I did not sleep around on you. That's just the thing." Regina could feel that Angelo was about to snap. His breathing had quickened and his grip on his own hands was turning his knuckles white.

"Why do you insist on lying to me?" He asked, keeping his voice as steady as he possibly could.

"I'm not lying Angelo! After you left, the doctor showed me the DNA test you had run. Why couldn't you come talk to me first?" She accused. "If you suspected she wasn't yours, why didn't you say anything?" Angelo shook his head.

"How could you think that she was yours?" Angelo shot the accusation back at her. "Her hair is so blond, and she has blue eyes, she looks nothing like you! Or me!" He started to raise his voice.

"That's just it." Regina spoke up, trying to catch his attention. "After you left, I had a test of my own run." She pulled a fold up slip of paper out of her pocket. "She's not mine either." Regina unfolded the slip and offered it to him. "I reran the DNA, only with mine, and it came back that she isn't mine. That little girl sitting in the hospital bed is not Daphne Paloma Vasquez." Angelo read over the paper as Regina's lip began to quiver. She felt a tear running down her face.

"Gina, what does this mean?" He whispered, still trying to make sense of the paper he held in his hand.

"This means that somebody else has our daughter." Her voice came out as a faint whisper and she placed her face in her hands. Angelo was immediately at her side, stroking her hair, arm around her shoulders. "Someone else has our Daphne, Angelo!" Regina sobbed, and all Angelo could do was hold her.


	2. The Lawyer

_A/N: So the response so far has been positive, so I will update with Chapter 2! Hope you all enjoy! Please leave a review if you read. Thanks! _

_Hugs, Kisses, and Oatmeal raisin cookies!_

_Miskumi ^.^_

"Ms. Vasquez, what you are proposing here could be considered slander if you are wrong." The lawyer spoke, folding his hands on his desk.

"But I'm not wrong." She handed him the two slips of paper, showing that the child's DNA matched neither hers nor Angelo's. The man behind the desk looked the sheets over, the sighed.

"If these tests are real, then you may have a real case on your hands. Have you located the other parents?" He asked. Regina shook her head.

"I don't even know where or how to start looking." She spoke.

"I know a private investigator. I will have him start looking immediately." The man behind the desk smiled and reached across the desk for Regina's hand. "We will find your Daphne."

"Thank you." Regina smiled and stood up, gathering her bag.

"In the mean time, I want you to keep this quiet. If the media gets wind of any of this, they will have a hay day and the hospital will simply offer you a small settlement to keep you quiet." Regina nodded and turned for the door.

Angelo was pacing in the lobby. He knew that he couldn't be calm with a lawyer in this situation. He was already angry. "Daphne" sat in a chair and played quietly with some dolls, looking up at Angelo from time to time and smiling. Every time she did it made his hear ache. How could he have grown so attached to this small blond child? What was going to happen now?

He looked up towards the hallway when he heard the click of Regina's heals on the tile. "Daphne" continued to play with her dolls, oblivious to the fact that Regina was returning. Regina placed a hand on the child's shoulder, who then looked up at her and smiled. It had been some time since they had released "Daphne" from the hospital, and nothing had improved. She was no longer sick, but she had lost her hearing in the process.

"The lawyer said we may have a case. He is going to have a private detective search for the other family." Regina told Angelo, not looking at "Daphne"

"So they are going to find our Daphne?" He asked, hopeful.

"They are going to try," She spoke. "He also said not to say anything to anyone. We don't need word getting to the hospital, just yet." Regina reached down and took the child's hand, urging her to stand and leading her out the door.

"What are we going to do if they can't find her?" Angelo asked.

"Raise this child as best as we can, I guess. Treat her no different then if she was our own." Regina sighed. She hoped that it wouldn't end up that way, but part of her was afraid that it would.

"Daphne" was asleep when the phone rang. Regina dried her hands on a towel, picking up the receiver. She simply listened as the person on the other end of the line spoke, then hung up. Walking slowly, almost in a daze, she peeked in on "Daphne", who was sleeping soundly, curled up with her stuffed rabbit.

"Are they sure?" Angelo asked when Regina relayed what she had learned. "Daphne" was playing in her bedroom as they talked.

"They are pretty for sure. They want us to come and meet with them, and decide on the next course of action."

"Did you make an appointment?" He almost seem excited for what was happening, and terrified at the same time.

"I did. It's in about a half hour, did you want to come with me?" Regina looked back towards "Daphne's" room. Angelo simply nodded. "I'll get her ready then." Regina walked back to the child's room and got her attention, then prepared her for the trip to the office. It was slow learning to sign with her and get her to understand, but "Daphne" was bright. She would have it in no time.


	3. Found

_A/N: Here is the next chunk.. I know it is a little short, but this was the best way to break it up. Enjoy._

_Remember, I do not own the characters, or the show._

_Miskumi ^.^_

"John and Kathryn Kennish." The lawyer passed a picture over to Regina and Angleo. The picture showed a blond man and woman, accompanied by a boy of about six or seven. In the arms of the woman sat a little three year old girl with ebony hair, brown eyes, and Angelo's nose.

"Our Daphne!" Regina's hand shot up to her mouth as she stiffled a sob.

"Wait a minute, John Kennish? The Baseball star?" Angelo asked the man in the suit.

"The very same." He replied. "The girl's name is Bay, the boy is Toby."

"Do they have any idea?" He shook his head. "So they think Bay is theirs?" Regina couldn't believe it. How could two people with such blond hair believe that such a fair skinned, dark haired child was theirs?

"Have you contacted them?" Angelo asked.

"Not yet," the lawyer replied. "That is what we need to discuss. Obviously the Kennish name is well known. They aren't going to want this to get out. That is going to make a lawsuit a little difficult." Regina looked up.

"What do you mean?" She asked. "Do you think they will give Daphne back?"

"We aren't sure. We haven't decided if we should send them a letter, get in touch through a lawyer, or meet with them face to face." Angelo took Regina's hand.

"I think face to face would work better. Through their lawyer." He replied. Regina nodded. "I will be in touch."


	4. The Kennishs

_A/N: Wow! I didn't think this would get so much attention! Thanks to everyone who has added this story to their watch and/or has reviewed so far. I'm doing my best to keep going on this, but with all the nice reviews/comments from everyone, it makes it so much easier!_

_So, here is the next chunk! Enjoy!_

_Hugs, kisses, and peanut butter cookies!_

_Miskumi ^.^_

"What are they saying? Bay isn't ours?" Kathryn looked to John, then to their lawyer Amanda.

"Mr. Gray said they have DNA proof that they have your daughter. The little girl you have was born Daphne Paloma Vasquez. They have your Bay." A tear slipped down Kathryn's cheek.

"How did this happen, John? Don't they keep track of these things?" She was becoming hysterical.

"Calm down, Kathryn. These people want to talk." Amanda spoke, reaching across her desk. "They want to discuss an exchange, and possible lawsuit against the hospital responsible." John and Kathryn looked at each other, then back to Amanda.

"Let's meet with them." John spoke, taking his wife's hand. "I want my daughter."

"What about Bay, John?" Kathryn spoke.

"We are going to get Bay back." He assured her, squeezing her hand. Amanda smiled.

"I'll set up the meeting."

John was quiet on the drive home, lost in thought. Kathryn's mind was running a hundred miles an hour. For three years they believed that this little dark haired girl was their Bay. They believed that it was a recessive gene showing through. But looking at it now, she looked nothing like either of them. She showed an interest in art, and they were a family full of sports stars. Kathryn didn't have an artistic bone in her body.

"Oh John, how could this have happened?" She finally spoke, looking at her husband.

"I'm not sure, Kathryn."

"Don't the doctors and nurses watch the babies or something? I mean, my Bay, being raised by somebody else."

"But we have their child, too." He shook his head. His thoughts were all over the board. This little girl belonged in someone else's hands. What kind of people were these? Were the wealthy like them? Or were they poor? Did they live on the street? Do drugs? Alcoholics? They could be anyone. Or they could simply be after money. John was terrified, horrified to think of the kinds of people who could have their daughter.

"What if they are wrong John? What if this little girl they say is our Bay isn't?

"We can have a test run first." He assured her. "For now, I wouldn't worry about it."

"What are we going to tell Toby?"


	5. Worried

_A/N: So I have to say thank you all again for the support, alerts, and kind words. I'm really enjoying putting this together, I'm glad you are all enjoying the reading._

_Anyway, here is the next chunk, and remember, I don't own anything but the story. The characters, ABC Family, and the Show belong to their respecitive ownders._

_Hugs, kisses, and Oatmeal cookies!_

_Miskumi ^.^_

Kathryn made both children a snack as soon as the sitter was paid and left, then returned to the living room. Bay followed her, carrying her cup of milk carefully, not wanting to spill on her dress. Kathryn turned a cartoon on and watched as Bay ate and drank, happily taking in the show. Kathryn tried to hide what she was feeling. She tried to hide her fear that this would be one of the last few moments she had with Bay. This other little girl wouldn't know her, and they would have to start all over again.

Of course she would send Bay with all of her things. She wouldn't deny her what belonged to her. She would start new with the other child. All new dresses and toys. She would replace everything that Bay took with her.

But she was getting ahead of herself already. She didn't even know if this child was really hers. What if these people really only wanted money out of them and were lying about Bay not being theirs? The thought consumed her. There was a reasonable explination as to why Bay was so fair skinned and dark haired. Of course Toby got all recessive genes, the blond hair, the light eyes. There was someone in their family lines that carried the genes that Bay received.

"Kathryn," She jumped at the sound of John's voice. Bay had finished her food and gone off to the play room, having grown bored with the cartoon quickly. Her husband sat beside her. "What's on your mind?"

"I'm just thinking about Bay." She closed her eyes, hanging her head. "I still don't understand how someone can say she isn't ours. I mean, wasn't your great great grandfather Italian or something like that?" Kathryn asked hopefully.

"Maybe this is just someone trying to get money, Kathryn." He sounded just as hopeful, but in his heart he knew it wasn't true. There were so few dark haired people on his side of the family, she couldn't have gotten it from him.

"I mean, we haven't even seen a picture of this child they claim is our Bay." Kathryn was becoming more and more agitated. "We have our Bay. We have our little girl already! She is upstairs playing with her brother." John took her hand.

"We are just going to meet with these people, Kathryn. If they are after nothing more then money, then we can stop it. Nip it in the bud now. All it would take is a simple DNA test to prove Bay is ours." Kathryn looked up at her husband suddenly.

"So lets go and get it done."

"What?" He was confused.

"Lets take Bay and get her tested. That way we have the test results in hand. We can prove to them that Bay is ours and get them to leave us alone. Go back to living our lives." Kathryn started to sound hopeful again.

"Slow down, Kathryn. Let's meet with them first. We will clear it up in due time." Her chin fell to her chest.

"I just want it to be over. Now."


	6. The Meeting

_A/N: So here is the next chunk of the story. Hope you all like it!_

Angelo paced the floor in front of the window. They were still waiting for the Kennishs to show up. Regina sat, ringing her hands, her foot tapping nervously. She had no idea if they were going to bring Bay with them, or if they even believed that their daughter was living with somebody else. Daphne had been left with Regina's mother, after a heated debate between Angelo and Regina.

All movement in the room stopped when they heard a tap at the door. That had to be the Kennishs. Mr. Gray stood and slowly pulled the door open, and two well dressed women and a man in the suit stood on the other side. The trio stepped inside, and Mr. Gray offered them all seats. Regina and Angelo joined hands, even more nervous now that they were about to face the people who had their daughter.

"I assume that your lawyer has filled you in on why we are all here today?" Mr. Gray started as he took his seat behind the desk.

"Yes. You believe we have your daughter." Kathryn spoke curtly.

"We have the DNA tests." Regina looked quickly from Kathryn to Mr. Gray. "We know that the child we have been raising for the last three years isn't ours." Mr. Gray nodded.

"And what makes you think that our daughter is yours?" John spoke.

"The research has been done. These two girls, Daphne Vasquez and Bay Kennish, were born on the same day, released on the same day." Mr. Gray replied.

"That proves nothing." Amanda waved her hand. She looked at the Kennishs. "Bay carries recessive genes from John's family, which explains why she has so few similarities to either parent." The lawyer sounded so sure of herself as she spoke, and Angelo started to get nervous.

"Have you done a DNA test on her?" Regina spoke quickly.

"Of course not! Why would we subject our daughter to that, just to get the answer that we already know?" Kathryn snapped.

"How do you know that the genes are recessive then?" Regina returned with an equal amount of venom.

"Ladies, please. We are here to talk civilly." Mr. Gray interjected. "We have a little situation that needs to be resolved, and the quicker the better."

"What do you want from us, Mr. Gray?" Amanda spoke before her clients could respond.

"Well, we have the DNA swabs from Daphne still. All we would need is a sample of DNA from one or both of your clients to compare to the child's." He was calm, almost as if his proposal was something that happened every day.

"Definatly not!" John spoke finally. "I will not put my wife through that. You have already put her through enough by simply suggesting that our child isn't ours. She hasn't slept in almost a week thinking about it."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Kennish, but this would be the quickest and easiest way to clear it all up. You give us a sample, we run the DNA, and if it comes back negative, we go back to square one. But if it matches-"

"If it matches, what then? Do you want us to take the child? Because we will." Kathryn spoke.

"If it matches, we will then ask for a sample swab from Bay, to compare with Ms. Vasquez and Mr. Sorrento."

"No no no. It's not happening." John stood up quickly. "We won't put Bay through that!"

"It's not a blood draw. It's a cotton swab inside the cheek, that's all." Mr. Gray tried to calm with his words. Kathryn placed her hand on her husband's arm.

"Maybe we should do what they ask, John." Regina smiled. Maybe this all would work out for the best and they would get their child back. John sighed.

"If this is what you want to do, Kathryn, then so be it." He sat beside his wife. "But how can we be sure that the samples aren't tampered with?"

"You will simply go to the hospital, have the swab taken by a technician there, and we will put the order through for the test. The sample will be handled only by hospital employees, and we will contact you when the results come back." Mr. Gray explained. John looked at the floor, then back to Amanda. Kathryn squeezed his hand.

"Alright. I'll go straight there."

"I will too." Kathryn added. "The more samples, the better, right?" Mr. Gray nodded.

"I will place the call to the lab and let them know you are coming and what needs to be done." Amanda and the Kennishs stood.

"Thank you for your time." Amanda offered a hand to Mr. Gray, who took it quickly, smiling. "We look forward to your call."


	7. News

_A/N: I'm still here, still writing away. Thanks to everyone who has added the story to alerts and favorites recently. I really appriciate it. And not that I'm digging, but more reviews would be nice. I always like hearing what you like and what you don't like about the story._

_Anywho... Thanks for reading!_

_Hugs, kisses, & Snickerdoodles!_

_Miskumi_

John and Kathryn waited nervously for the phone call. They should have heard back by now. Kathryn felt like she was losing her mind and couldn't sit still. She paced the office continually, ignoring anything that wasn't a phone ringing.

"What if they lost the sample?" She asked her husband.

"Relax, Kathryn, the didn't lose the sample. The lab may be backed up." John spoke, trying to calm his wife.

"They told us today, John. It has been a week." Every word she spoke, every moment the phone didn't ring, she grew more and more agitated.

"They said it could take up to two weeks." He continued to try and calm his wife, but he knew that his efforts were futile. She finally sat, placing her face in her hands. After releasing her breath, Kathryn looked up at her husband sadly. She opened her mouth to speak and was interrupted by the phone ringing. Kathryn jumped up and John picked up the receiver.

"Hello? Yes, this is John Kennish. Yes. It did. Okay, thank you." He hung up the receiver, sighing before he looked back at his wife.

"Well? Who was it? What did they say?" Kathryn leaned against his desk.

"It was the lab. The test results came back," He dropped his eyes from hers. "They don't match."

"What does that mean, John?" Her agitation was showing in her voice again.

"Bay isn't ours."

"What do we do now?" Kathryn looked at her husband, then to their lawyer.

"Well, we can talk to Regina and Angelo. Set up a meeting with their lawyer and see where they stand, what they want to do." Amanda suggested.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if you want to, we can see if they want to switch the girls back. I don't know if there would be any paperwork to file, or if you could just, switch them. But then we could look into a lawsuit against the hospital and the nurses in charge. Make them take responsibility for what has happened."

"What about the media? This will make the news, won't it?" John spoke up. Amanda nodded.

"Unfortunately, yes it will. It will take a while to get a closed door on the case, but initially it will be in the news." Amanda spoke, placing her hands on the desk.

"We can't let this blow up." Kathryn spoke.

"Well, we can talk to Regina and Angelo. Set up a meeting with Mr. Gray again, to discuss. There is a possibility that the hospital will want to settle, that would keep it out of the media. There would be a brief story, and then it would die down. We could only hope for that." Amanda suggested. Kathryn hung her head.

"I don't know. We have had Bay for three years now. It doesn't matter that she isn't biologically related to us. She is our daughter." She looked at her husband.

"Our daughter lives in the ghetto, Kathryn. Daphne is our daughter." John put his hand over his wife's.

"Do you really want to put the girls through that, though? I mean, they won't understand! They are just babies." Kathryn's voice was starting to fill with sobs. "How would we explain to a three year old that they have to go and live with someone they don't even know? That you don't want them?"

"We can set up a councilor for Daphne. They can help her understand." John suggested.

"What about Bay?" Kathryn spoke. "Are you going to stop caring about her just because she doesn't live with us anymore?" Her fear and hurt was turning into anger.

"I didn't say that Kathryn. Bay will always have a place in my heart. It's just, I want my own daughter back. My flesh and blood." John replied. He looked over at Amanda. "If we switch the girls back, will we still get to have contact with Bay?"

"That will be up to the other parents." Amanda replied. "They could decide that they want to keep Daphne in their life, they could decide that would be too hard for them. We would just have to talk to them." She tightened her lips and shook her head.

"When can we meet with them then?" John asked before his wife had a chance to speak.

"I will call Mr. Gray and set up the appointment. I will be in touch." She stood, offering a hand to her clients. John shook the offered hand, then offered his own to his wife.

"Let's go home Kathryn. We still have children to care for." She looked up at him, took his hand, and stood. "Thank you Amanda."


	8. First Attempt

_A/N: Thank you everyone for your patience on this chapter. Life is weird in the real world right now. I have more coming though, so don't worry!_

_Thanks for reading and sticking with me. As always reviews are always welcome!  
_

_Miskumi  
_

"No! No! Absolutely not!" Angelo stomped his foot on the floor. "I will not have it! I will not allow you to further corrupt my child!" Angelo yelled and pointed a finger in John's face.

"Corrupt your child? We have done nothing but care for this child and give her the best of everything since she came to live with us!" John stood, chesting up to Angelo.

"She is spoiled! I bet she doesn't even know how to do anything for herself!"

"What are you implying here? That we treat her like an invalid?" John's face started to turn red.

"Well, yes!" Angelo spoke, glaring at the other man. "She probably has her own set of servants who do everything for her!" Regina reached up and put her hand on Angelo's arm.

"Angelo, please." He looked at her. "Let them speak. You are casting judgement on people you don't even know."

"Look at them!" He growled. "Sitting there in their Italian suits. She won't want to come home with us. She is too used to being spoiled and waited on that she will be intolerable." Regina looked up at him.

"You don't know that! We haven't even met this child, have we?" She spoke, trying to be sensible.

"Are you willing to risk it?" He spoke through his teeth.

"Why don't we give it a trial run?" Kathryn spoke up. "We can trade children for a week, and see how it goes. At that point, we could decide if they are better off where they are, or where they were. We can also decide on visitation." She looked from her husband to Angelo and Regina, then to their lawyers. "Can we do that?" Amanda and Mr. Gray looked at each other, then to their clients.

"I don't see why not." Amanda spoke and Mr. Gray nodded. "You could swap the girls for a week, then we can decide."

"The school year is almost over. We will swap the first week of summer." Kathryn spoke. "We can meet right out front of this office, swap the girls, and meet back in one week." She smiled and nodded encouragingly.

"Fine. Do we need to send anything? Her clothes?" Regina agreed.

"Only what she will need for a week. Anything you think she can't live without for a week." Kathryn's mood brightened.

"Okay, it sounds like we have an agreement." Mr. Gray smiled. "So we will make an appointment for the first week in June?" He asked Amanda. She nodded.

"Deffinatly." She looked at the schedule on her desk. "How about the fifth?" Mr. Gray nodded, followed by Regina and the Kennishs, and Angelo reluctantly. "Thank you all for coming. I look forward to meeting with you again."


	9. Test

_Thank you, faithful readers! All your support and reviews are appricated! Anyway, onto Chapter 9!_

_Miskumi ^.^  
_

The week of the switch came faster then either family expected. The Kennish's packed Bay only with enough play clothes for the week. They were pretty sure that Daphne's toys would be available for her to play. Angelo and Regina packed the nicest things that Daphne owned, worried that John and Kathryn would feel they were too poor to take care of any child. They sat, silent and terrified, in front of Amanda's office waiting for John and Kathryn to show up. They did, right on the nose of the agreed upon time, driving a Mercedes.

"What did I tell you, Regina? Now Daphne isn't going to want to come home." Angelo growled.

"Just wait. We will see how this plays out." She spoke softly. Daphne sat in the back seat, confused.

They had tried to explain what was going on. They told her that she was going to go and stay with some friends and that their daughter was coming to stay at their house. They told her that she would have lots of nice toys to play with, and lots of room to play in. She was still confused. Since she had been released from the hospital, they had had a lot of trouble communicating. Daphne had gone deaf.

John and Kathryn nosed their car up to Angelo and Regina. Bay sat in the back seat, happily playing with her favorite doll. She had been told the same story. Bay wasn't nearly as confused as Daphne was, and it was just like staying with Grandma, only Toby wasn't coming with. Kathryn looked at her husband, biting her lip.

"Are you really sure you want to do this?" She asked him, then looked back at the other car.

"This was your idea, Kathryn." He reminded her. She glanced back over her shoulder at Bay.

"Is that car really going to be safe for her? We could offer to give Bay a ride to their house."

"Kathryn, she will be fine." John assured her, then turned off the engine and unfastened his seat belt. Kathryn sighed.

"Let's get this over with then." She unfastened her own belt, then turned and looked at Bay. "Are you ready?" The child nodded, and Kathryn exited the car, opening the rear door to remove the ebony haired baby from her safety seat. John had retrieved her suitcase from the trunk, and started to approach the awaiting couple.

"Hello, Kathryn." Regina smiled, assisting Daphne from her safety seat. The blond stood in her Sunday best, a bright yellow dress with lace around the neck and sleeves, Mary-Jane style shoes over white tights.

"Hi, Regina." The women shook hands, and Angelo glared at John.

"This is Daphne." Regina looked down at the little blond my her side.

"Hello Daphne," John spoke to her, and she didn't respond. He looked up at Angelo and frowned.

"She's deaf." Angelo spoke bluntly.

"She's what?" Kathryn looked from Regina to Angelo. "Since when?" Regina sighed.

"That's how we found out she wasn't ours." Regina admitted, looking at the ground. "She got really sick. Meningitus. They told us that the course of antibiotics they were going to put her on could cause this." Kathryn was speechless.

"How do you communicate with her?" John spoke.

"We are trying to learn sign language." Angelo replied. "It's not easy, and she gets frustrated quickly. But we are trying." Daphne finally looked up.

"This is Bay." Kathryn spoke quickly as Regina looked at the dark-haired child. Bay took one look at Regina, then hid her face in Kathryn's shoulder. "Don't be afraid, honey. These are our friends, Regina and Angelo." Bay continued to hide.

"Don't be rude now honey, say hello." John directed, and Bay looked up. She waved shyly, and Regina smiled. Tapping Daphne on the shoulder, Angelo pointed at John and Kathryn. Daphne waved just as shyly as Bay did, then looked back at Angelo.

"These are our friends." He spoke slowly, hoping that Daphne would catch on. "Kathryn and John." Daphne looked back at them, confused.

"It will take some time. Just speak slow and make sure she can see your lips." Regina advised, stepping forward to take Bay. "Come here honey." She reached for her, and Bay screamed. Kathryn looked at John.

"Bay honey, we talked about this." He spoke softly to the now sobbing child. "You are going to go and stay with Regina and Angelo for a few days." Bay looked up at him with tear filled eyes.

"Wanna go home." She replied, hiding her face back in Kathryn's shoulder.

"I know sweetie, but you need to go with Regina and Angelo now." John and Kathryn both worked to separate Bay from Kathryn's shoulder, handing her to Regina. Bay struggled, kicking and flailing her fists. John took Bay's suitcase to the car, retrieving Daphne's. Kathryn reached for the blond child's hand.

"Looks like we are in for a bit of a fight." Angelo spoke, then looked down at Daphne. "It's okay. You can go with Kathryn." Daphne took Kathryn's hand slowly, and Angelo stood.

"Be a good girl now, Bay." Kathryn spoke, trying to keep her voice from breaking.

"Momma!" Bay cried and tried to throw herself out of Regina's arms. Kathryn had to turn away.

"It's alright Bay. Everything will be fine." John assured her.

"Daddy!" Bay cried out, sobbing. She reached for John, flailing. Kathryn had tears flowing down her face as she loaded Daphne into Bay's car seat. She had to climb into the front seat and cover her face, closing her eyes to not see the display.

"You better go." John spoke to Regina. "The longer you stay, the worse this will get." He leaned in to kiss Bay quickly. "Daddy loves you, Bay honey. We will see you soon!"

Regina turned and walked back to the car, quickly securing Bay into Daphne's car seat, then climbing behind the wheel. Angelo nodded at John, returning to the driver's seat and stating the vehicle. John followed suit, watching as Regina and Angelo drove away, Bay crying in the back seat. Daphne, on the other hand, sat in the back, confused, scared, and quiet.


	10. The Ride

_Yea, so uhm... Hi! _

_I know I haven't updated recently but there was a major upheaval in my life and... Well, let's just say things are finally STARTING to calm down, and the writters block is lifting._

_Anywho, thanks for your patience!_

_Hugs, kisses, and Cookies!_

_Miskumi^.^_

The drive home was deathly silent in the Kennish car. Kathryn's tears had stopped, though she still had no words. John was deep in thought, driving carefully and cautiously. Every once in a while, he glanced in his mirror, checking on Daphne.

The child sat in silence, tears running down her face. God only knew what was running through her head, and John could say nothing to comfort her. Daphne looked in one direction only, and that was out the window, hoping to see something familiar.

The farther from the meeting place and closer to the Kennish house they moved, the more Daphne squirmed in her seat. She began looking more and more agitated, and suddenly she screamed. Kathryn jumped, her hand fluttering to her throat, and John hit the brakes. Pulling over to the side of the road, they both looked back at the strawberry blonde in the back seat, who was pulling on the door handle and the buckles to her car seat.

The sight renewed Katheryn's tears, and she hid her face behind her hands. What were they doing? This child belonged to Angelo and Regina. There was no way that this was going to work, that they were going to be able to get their daughter, the true Bay back.

John leaned over and hugged his wife, kissing the top of her head. "It will all be okay, Kathryn. She just needs some time to adjust, okay?" Shifting back into gear, John pulled back into traffic, the sniffles and sobs issuing from the back seat mirroring those from the seat beside him.

Toby was waiting in the living room, peeking out the window. When he saw the car pull in, he ran towards the door in the kitchen, giggling and clapping his hands. He stopped short, looking up at his mom confused when he saw the little strawberry blonde girl in her arms. John leaned down and picked up his son, placing him securely on one hip.

"Toby, this is Daphne." John pointed to the small girl who looked terrified. "She is your sister." Toby looked between his parents confused.

"Where's Bay?" He asked, glaring at the little girl. "Where's my sister?" Kathryn looked at her husband, a slight quiver in her lower lip.

"John…" She whispered, adjusting Daphne's weight.

"No, Kathryn, everything is fine." He turned to his son. "Bay is with her other mommy and daddy. Daphne is your sister." Toby shook his head and pushed away from John. As soon as his feet were on the ground, he ran off, up to his playroom screaming "No no no" The whole way.

"John, this is a disaster." Kathryn set Daphne in Bay's high chair. "Toby is already unhappy, he doesn't understand."

"We just got home Kathryn. He will understand, it will just take some time." She sat in a chair at the kitchen table.

"Maybe we should just call Angelo and Regina, get Bay back." John crouched in front of her. "I don't think this was such a good idea."

"No Kathryn. Give it a couple of days. Things will get easier. Look, Daphne is already adjusting." The toddler was dozing in the high chair, making Kathryn jump up.

"Did Regina send a blanket? A lovey? Something?" John stepped back out to the car, bringing the small suitcase back. He placed it on the counter, popped it open and sifted through the contents.

"Here, Look. A blanket." He pulled it out as Kathryn picked up the dozing toddler. "Lets get her up to Bay's room." His wife nodded, heading towards the stairs.

"Hush now little one, everything will be alright." Kathryn cooed as she carried Daphne to the bed. She didn't even think about the fact that she wasn't heard. Having Daphne on her shoulder, while odd, felt right.

"SHe is already asleep." John whispered softly as his wife placed the toddler into the crib. John placed the blanket over her and stood back, placing an arm around his wife. Kathryn stood, looking down on the toddler.

"She is so beautiful." She spoke, resting her arms on the crib rail. "I wonder if she always slept this easy." John squeezed her shoulders and kissed her temple.

"I get the feeling we will have plenty of time to find out." He spoke tugging on her gently. "Come on, let Daphne sleep.


	11. Adjustment

_**Wow guys, still can't believe the response I have gotten on this piece. Thank you so much for your support!**_

_**^.^ Miskumi**_

"Look at these clothes, Gina. These are designer labels." Angelo stood with one hand on his hip, the other on his temple. Regina looked over his shoulder.

"My god, Angelo. Who are these people?" She asked. "First they send a lawyer to contact us and tell us that they had our daughter, and then this? They couldn't go to shop at like Wal-Mart, or-"

"Gina, stop. At least they contacted us. They could have kept her." He turned, placing his hands on her arms, rubbing up and down. "Just look at it that way." Angelo smiled at her, that smile that made her heart melt.

The ride home had been rough. Bay had thrown her shoes at the back of Angelo's head, almost causing an accident, and screamed the whole time. When they arrived at the house, she had tried to run down the street, trying to do anything to get away from Regina and Angelo. Once inside, she hid behind the couch, staying there until she fell asleep. The pair decided to simply leave her there.

"I need to go wash Daphne's sheets." Regina looked away, not wanting to talk about it anymore. She didn't want to remember that the child hiding behind the couch had been denied knowledge of them for the last three years, and that she had a better life without them, not right now. She needed to enjoy the time she had with Bay while she had it.

Angelo nodded, stepping back. "I will keep an eye on her." Regina smiled weakly, heading for the bedroom.

Looking around, everything reminded her of Daphne. The pink ruffled dresses, the pale pink walls. Regina pulled the sheets and blanket from the bed, the soft purple polka dots draped over her arm, and looked around the room again. She saw the music box setting on the dresser. Daphne would never hear that music again. Dropping the bedclothes on the floor, Regina wound the key, opening the lid and letting the dancer spin.

"Gina," Angelo stood in the doorway watching her. She looked up, tears in her brown eyes. "Gina what is it?"

"Daphne will never hear this music again, or your voice, or mine, or my mothers." She sucked in a trembling breath. "How are we supposed to deal with that?" Angelo smiled, sitting down beside her, closing the lid on the music box.

"We learn. She is young still. We can take classes and learn sign language. This changes nothing, Regina." He placed a hand on her cheek.

"But that doesn't change the fact that she isn't ours, that she can't hear." Regina sobbed.

"Why don't we worry about this later, see where things go from there." Angelo leaned in and kissed her, silencing any protests that tried to flow from her lips. She fluttered her lashes as he pulled away, looking at him. "There now, lets get some laundry going, get Bay settled in before she wakes up. We will try again." He stood, offering her a hand to stand, then bending and picking up the purple sheets. "Daphne loves these sheets." Angelo spoke with a crooked smile, looking up at Regina. She took his hand, walking to the mudroom.

Bay hid behind the couch after she woke up, not making a noise. Angelo pulled out his guitar, strumming a few chords idly. Regina put a casserole in the oven, then moved to the easel she had sitting up in the corner, tying a smock around her waist. Bay crawled to the other end of the couch, peeking out to watch what the woman was doing as she picked up her brush and tray.

A voice joined into the strumming, soft, melodic, and almost hypnotic. The brush strokes seemed to join into the melody, her hips swaying as she danced while Angelo played. Bay took a couple steps out from behind the couch, looking over at Angelo. The French Italian's eyes were closed as he sang softly and sweetly. She glanced at Regina, watching her apply the paint to the canvas. She took another step out. Angelo parted one eye slightly, watching the toddler's progress.

Eventually he stopped singing, but Regina continued to paint. Suddenly she felt a small hand on the leg of her pants. She turned and looked down, smiling at Bay.

"Up." The toddler spoke, reaching out for Regina. Happily she was lifted up, looking more evenly at the canvas.

"Do you want to try?" Regina asked Bay softly. The toddler turned to look at her. Angelo was already prepared, throwing an old work shirt over Bay's head, and switching out the canvas Regina had been working on for a fresh one. Regina handed a brush to the toddler and lifted the palate.

"Like this," Angelo spoke, taking Bay's arm, dipping the brush into the paint, and guiding her in a stroke. Bay looked almost surprised at the red mark on the white canvas, tipping her head to the side. Taking the brush again, she made another stroke, then another, giggling. Regina looked up at Angelo, shock and awe washing over her face.

"Angelo, are you seeing this?" He nodded.

"Yes Gina, I do." Bay let out a giggle, dipping the brush into a different color and making more marks. "I'll be right back." He whispered into her ear, stepping away. He returned, bringing with him a stool with a back. "Sit her here, Gina. Let her have at it." Regina nodded, placing the toddler on the stool, pulling the art table closer so that she could reach the paints.

Angelo wrapped his arm around Regina's waist as they stepped back, watching Bay paint on the canvas. "You should probably go and see to dinner." He whispered, kissing her cheek. "I will watch her." She nodded, stepping to the kitchen to finish the meal and set the table.

By the time the meal was ready, Bay's shirt was covered in paint. Easing the brush out of her hand, Angelo pulled the shirt off her, wiping her hands with a warm rag. "It looks beautiful, Bay." He kissed her cheek. "Now it's time for some dinner." She looked from the canvas to him, and didn't seem to want to move. Regina smiled as Angelo lifted Bay up, taking her and setting her into Daphne's booster.

Regina served the trio, sitting with Bay between them. The toddler simply looked at the plate, not sure of what to think about what was before her. Angelo grinned and picked up his fork, digging in. "Here, Bay, you will like it." He stabbed up a bite on his fork, offering it to her. Looking over it for a moment, she took a small taste, pulling back as if surprised. "Good, no?" Angelo asked sweetly. Bay picked up her fork and happily ate.


End file.
